Sample Programme

Sunday

The course meets at 6.45pm at the Hotel du Glacier in Fiesch which is easily reached from Geneva airport in just over 3 hours. The hotel is a traditional Swiss Hotel situated just below the railway station.

Monday

We take the first lift from Fiesch to the Eggishorn. A long easterly traverse gives us access to some north facing slopes which we ski down to the impressive Grosser Aletschgletscher. From here we skin up to Kondordiaplatz (a massive glacier junction). A 200m (vertical) walk up the steps leads us to the Konkordia hut (2850m - 5hrs). The Konkordia hut is a very comfortable, modern hut and has a bar on the terrace. Any spare time can be spent looking at avalanche rescue protocol and transceiver practise.

Tuesday

We continue our journey eastwards and climb to the fore summit of the Grunegghorn (3500m). This sometimes needs a short ski portage to access the summit slopes. The summit gives great views of the Grunhorn (4044m) and the Ewigscheenfald to the north. We ski down retracing our uphill tracks on the south facing slopes and then climb to the Grunhornlucke (3280m - 2hrs). A short ski to the Fieschergletscher (2900m) and climb takes us to the Finsteraarhorn hut (3048m). The Finsteraarhorn hut has been recently rebuilt and is a state of the art Swiss hut boasting single beds and inside toilets.

Wednesday

A big day (1100m of ascent) which starts with an ascent to the Gross Wannenhorn, (3905m - 4 to 5hrs). This is the most southerly of the peaks that we climb and has great views of the Rhone valley and Wallis. It is a glaciated ski peak and normally gives a good powder descent. We spend another night in the Finsteraarhorn hut.

Thursday

We climb back over Grunhornlucke and descend to the Konkordia Platz. If we have time we shall make a traverse the Kranzberg (3666m - 4hrs). This peak overlooks the Konkordiaplatz and is an excellent peak to take in on the way to the Hollandia hut. The summit is reached on foot up a pleasantly exposed ridge. Our descent to the Grosser Aletsch Firn is very spectacular and this then leads the way to the Hollandia hut (3240m - 5hrs). The hut is situated on the ridge just above the Lotschenlucke (3173m) and has striking views both to the east and west. The impressive north face of the Aletschhorn (4193m) dominates our ascent to the hut.

Friday

Today is a magnificent finale to the trip. We climb the Abeni Flue (3962m - 3hrs). Although not technical or steep, it offers great glacier skiing and brilliant views to the plains in the north and the Valais to the south. Descending back to the Hollandia hut and the Lotschenlucke gives us access to another alpine ski classic into the Lotschental. This was one of the last Swiss alpine valleys to be explored and it certainly gives the feel of stepping back in time, with its museum of traditional Swiss chalets on stilts. We return to the hotel in Fiesch by bus and train in time for dinner.

Saturday - Depart after breakfast.

Maps: Jungfrau 264s 1:50 000